Barn Tour: McPeek updates on Rattle N Roll + 16 others

With earnings of $9,324,801, last year was the best in trainer Kenny McPeek’s career, but that might not be the case for long.

He’s had more wins than last year’s 98, but his previous high in earnings was about $7 million in 2021.

“I’m maturing with age,” McPeek said Tuesday.

In an interview for this Barn Tour feature, McPeek provided updates on more than 15 horses. A few are getting a break, but every one of the others is headed for a stakes.

“I do have a lot of really good stake horses right now,” McPeek told Horse Racing Nation. “It's what we point for. This is what I tell everybody that I work for. We buy one, we want to try to come up with a stake horse. If it's a stake horse, great. If it's not, you obviously put them in claiming or whatever. But we've got a really, really solid group.”

McPeek, who has 36 horses in training at Churchill Downs, about 40 at Keeneland and 20 at Saratoga, provided updates on 17 of his top runners.

Rattle N Roll. The 4-year-old son of Connect has won three graded stakes in a row, most recently the Blame (G3) at Churchill. “He is going to be nominated to both the Suburban and to the Cornhusker.” McPeek said. “And we'll decide which direction he goes a little bit later. I think we've done a pretty good job spotting him in the right spots. You know, he's had some races that were ideal for him and just real pleased with the way the season's gone with him.”

Smile Happy. After finishing 12th in last year’s Kentucky Derby, the Runhappy colt took the rest of the year off and came back with an optional-claiming allowance win followed by a third-place finish in the Oaklawn Mile (G3) and then most recently beat Art Collector by two lengths in the Alysheba (G2) on the Kentucky Oaks undercard. His next start will be in the Stephen Foster (G1) at Ellis Park on July 1.

Defining Purpose. The Cross Traffic filly was seventh in the Kentucky Oaks after winning the Ashland (G1) at 20-1. She resumed working at Churchill on Saturday. “She is going to be nominated to the Delaware Oaks (G3), Indiana Oaks (G3), Iowa Oaks (G3).” Formerly owned by a partnership that included McPeek’s Magdalena Racing, he said she now is owned by Northern Farm, a breeding operation in Japan owned by the Yoshida family.

Hayes Strike. The 3-year-old son of Connect is 2-for-4 this year, most recently winning the black-type Texas Derby by a nose and, before a seventh-place finish in the Blue Grass (G1), scoring in the Private Terms at Laurel Park. He’ll be nominated to the Ohio and Indiana derbies, both Grade 3, and the listed Iowa Derby.

Sun Thunder. The Into Mischief colt was 11th in the Kentucky Derby after finishing fourth in the Blue Grass (G1), and now he’s getting a rest. “He won't be back in training until later on in the summer or fall,” McPeek said. “Nothing major. He ran hard all winter and spring, and we're giving him a little R&R, let him grow up a little bit.”

Gunning. The 4-year-old Gun runner filly was sixth last out in the Skipat Stakes at Pimlico after starting the year with two wins and a second at Oaklawn. “Gunning is nominated to the Chicago at Churchill, but we're probably going to point more towards a listed stake in Iowa.”

Rarified Flair. The 3-year-old son of Honor Code is 1-for-3 this year, winning the black-type Rushaway Stakes at Turfway in March. He returned to dirt last out in the Texas Derby, finishing fifth, after racing on turf or synthetic since his debut in July. He’s also “going to get a little break. Probably won't see him until later in the year. He had a nice stakes win during the winter at Turfway, but he was mid-pack in the Texas derby. He will probably not resurface until fall.”

Mendelssohns March. The 3-year-old Mendelssohn colt won his debut on turf and his second start on dirt and has raced on both since, most recently finishing second in the Audubon Stakes at Churchill. He is nominated to the Belmont Derby (G1) and the listed American Derby at Ellis Park.

Frosted Departure. The 3-year-old son of Frosted has two thirds and a fourth from four starts this year, all in graded stakes. McPeek said he’ll run next in the Maxfield Overnight at Ellis Park on July 2.

Classic Causeway. The 4-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway has one win in 11 starts since scoring in last year’s Tampa Bay Derby (G2), and he most recently was fourth in the Arlington Stakes (G3). He’s another who has gone back and forth between dirt and turf, and McPeek said he was “on a plane to England. He's going to run in the Prince of Wales's (G1), going right-handed.” McPeek said he would follow the colt on Friday.

Denington. The 3-year-old Gun Runner colt is 1-for-7 this year, with all of his losses coming in stakes races. McPeek said he would be pointed toward the Iowa Derby.

Tiz the Bomb. Since finishing ninth in last year’s Kentucky Derby, the son of Hit It a Bomb switched to turf, going 0-for-7. He’s entered in the Chorleywood Overnight Stakes at Ellis Park on Saturday.

Lovely Princess. The 4-year-old daughter of Twirling Candy won her first start of the year, a Keeneland allowance in April, then was a close second in the Keertana Stakes at Churchill. Her next start will be in the Robert Dick Memorial (G3) on July 1.

Butterbean. The 4-year-old Klimt filly – "world famous," in McPeek's words – won the Jack Bishop Stakes at Prairie Meadows on Friday and will start next in the Iowa Distaff.

Freydis the Red. Bred in France, this 3-year-old filly broke her maiden May 29 at Churchill in her sixth start. She is pointed to the Belmont Oaks (G1).

Call the Cavalry. A 2-year-old Khozan colt, partially owned by Magdalena Racing, won his June 4 debut at Belmont Park. He’s pointed to the Sanford (G3) at Saratoga on July 15.

V V’s Dream. This 2-year-old Mitole filly also was a debut winner, with a 6 1/4-length victory at Churchill Downs on May 19. She’s pointed to the Ellis Park Debutante on July 3.